The Hunt for the Lost Core - Uncovering the Reptilian Plot: TerNor8, #1

By Karlux Nova

Amidst the cosmic tapestry of a universe filled with diverse species and civilizations, the fate of Earth hangs in the balance. Among the power-hungry Reptilians, protective Nordics, and pragmatic Greys, a young Nordic princess, Mila, rises.

 

Bound to Earth's people by a deep connection, Mila races against time, together with her team, the TerNor 8, to locate the core of the Planet Blaster before the Reptilians do. As they encounter ancient relics and deadly creatures, they discover the core's potential to shift power dynamics in the cosmos.

 

But in the shadows, the malevolent Nexarites dream of universal domination, and reptilian leaders scheme to regain the stolen core. If they succeed, it could mean the end of Earth and the Nordics.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Karlux
• Release date: Jul 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223542117

Karlux Nova

The author is a South African writer and photographer who has a keen interest in exploring the natural world. With a degree in Information Systems and a background in systems design, the author has a strong fascination with cutting-edge technologies such as quantum mechanics, artificial intelligence, and nanobots. Nevertheless, the author's greatest passion lies in the beauty and mystery of the African wilderness. As a writer, the author prefers to let the characters take the lead and express themselves rather than narrating the story. The author's stories often revolve around an African theme, drawing inspiration from the continent's rich history and culture. As a photographer, the author focuses on capturing the unique landscapes and wildlife of Africa, particularly African wildlife and nature photography. Their work can be found on their Pixabay profile, where they aim to showcase the diversity and beauty of Africa and inspire others to appreciate and conserve the natural world.

Book preview

Chapter 1 – The Discovery

On the frigid surface of Vrakon, the reptilian species had carved out a home amidst the harsh, rocky terrain. The cities they built, while considered crude and unappealing by other races, were a testament to their resilience against the planet's scorching temperatures and inhospitable conditions.

Contrary to the assumptions of many, the reptilians were not solitary creatures. They thrived on social cohesion, gathering in large groups to bask under the warm glow of their binary star system. In times of peace, they held grand gatherings where artists performed dances so strange and intriguing that they defied description, often drawing the crowds into the spectacle.

Despite their cultural richness and advanced society, the reptilians found themselves feared and loathed by many civilizations. Their reputation for brutality and destruction had been hard-earned, their resilience tested time and again by historic enemies. These adversaries, each formidable in their own right, posed significant threats to the reptilian dominion.

Among these foes were the Greys, an aloof and calculating race, who held a cold conviction of their own superiority. Identified as bipedals, a cosmic term for beings that walk upright and possess symmetrical features, much like what Earthlings would refer to as 'humanoid', they were known for their advanced intellect and technological prowess. The Greys pursued their interests with ruthless pragmatism, often finding themselves at odds with the reptilians in their relentless pursuit of power. Their emotionless demeanor and inscrutable motives made them a source of intrigue and fear, a constant thorn in the side of the reptilian empire.

Even more menacing were the Nexarites, a malevolent race that dwelled in the underground depths of their world. These bipedal figures towered over most species, walking upright on their powerful hind legs, their bodies draped in a robust exoskeleton of earthy brown and vibrant green. Their heads were small, with large, bulbous eyes and a narrow mouth, capable of producing a range of complex sounds. The Nexarites, whispered about in hushed tones and fearful murmurs, harbored dreams of universal domination. They were a constant threat lurking in the shadows of the cosmos, their presence a chilling reminder of the reptilians' precarious position in the interstellar power dynamics.

Yet, against these formidable adversaries, the reptilians had always managed to survive. They expanded their colonies to planets deemed uninhabitable by other galactic races, a testament to their tenacity and adaptability in the face of adversity.

Vrakon was nestled in the Eltor cluster of the Nuhmeb galaxy, a region close to the well-known Andromeda galaxy that they almost fused. The Intergalactic Assembly of Planetary Alliances (IAPA), a neutral governing body dedicated to maintaining peace and promoting interstellar cooperation, had named the galaxy in honor of the Great Nuhmeb, the revered father of the reptilian race.

The Nuhmeb galaxy, with its spiral structure, was a vast expanse of cosmic wonder. But within it, clusters like Eltor stood in stark isolation. The reptilians had been forced to retreat to this isolated cluster due to the actions of the Nexarites, giving them millions of years to evolve without outside interference. Some scientists speculated that this prolonged isolation had fueled the reptilians' relentless drive to expand their territories and their inherent propensity for violence.

Zekkor, the Chief Warrior, hunched over the numerous screens before him, his clawed fingers tracing the glowing symbols with a weary slowness. His snake-like eyes, once bright with youthful ambition, now held a dull, resigned look as they searched for the missing core of the Planet Blaster, their ultimate weapon.

His scales, once vibrant and glossy, had faded with age and stress, mirroring the decline of his career. As he neared retirement, his victories in battle seemed distant and hollow, overshadowed by the growing whispers of his inadequacy.

Around him, the control room buzzed with activity, but he felt isolated, an island in a sea of contempt. The younger officers, their scales still gleaming with vitality, barely concealed their disdain. They saw him as a puppet, a figurehead kept in place by the Supreme Leader's whims rather than merit. They whispered that he held his high position only because he knew secrets that the leader did not want revealed.

Zekkor heard their whispers, their hisses of disrespect, but he had long since stopped trying to win their approval. He had become a fixture in the control room, as immovable and unremarkable as the rocky outcrops of Vrakon. His dreams of glory had been replaced by a simple desire: to endure the day, return to his dwelling, and rest his weary body.

He yearned for the solitude of his home, a place where he could shed the weight of his title and the expectations that came with it. But for now, he had a duty to perform. With a sigh that echoed through the control room, he turned his attention back to the screens, his search for the missing core continuing.

In his younger years, Zekkor was a warrior of purpose, his every battle a calculated move towards a strategic goal. He was respected by his comrades, not just for his strength, but for his restraint. Unlike many of his kin, he didn't revel in the thrill of the kill. He saw no honor in pointless slaughter, only in victory that served a purpose. But as the cosmic years wore on, his ambition shifted. The battlefield no longer held the same allure. He yearned for leadership, for the chance to shape the destiny of his people.

His opportunity came, but it was tainted with regret. He had risen to the rank of Chief Warrior, but at a cost he had never intended to pay. Betraying his commander, a reptilian he had once admired, was a decision that haunted him. He had become the top soldier, but the victory was hollow, the power he had gained marred by the shadow of his betrayal.

Zekkor closed his snake-like eyes, the glow of the screens reflected in his dark pupils. His mind drifted back to the war against the Greys. He remembered the false intelligence, the belief that the Greys were launching a massive attack in Sector 42. The reality had been a brutal surprise. The Greys had exploited a small, unknown wormhole to launch a surprise attack on the reptilian home world, stealing the core of the Planet Blaster.

The Planet Blaster, a weapon of such destructive power that it could reduce entire planets to ashes, was the ultimate symbol of the reptilian race's might. It was a deterrent, a warning to any who dared to challenge them. And now its core, the source of its devastating power, was in the hands of their enemies. The memory of that loss, that failure, was a wound to the Reptilians that had never healed. It was a constant reminder of the price of leadership, the weight of responsibility that now rested on his weary shoulders.

Zekkor shook off his reverie, his attention snapping back to the screens before him. The reptilian language, a symphony of hisses, clicks, and trills, filled the room, crackling over the speakers. Then, a distinctive code 'C' cut through the chatter. His heart pounded in his chest. 'C' stood for Cosmite, the energy source for the core!

He leaned in, listening as the captain of a scout ship reported a significant detection of Cosmite. The core! You've found it! Zekkor hissed back, his voice trembling with excitement. But his joy was short-lived. The captain clarified that it wasn't the core, but a planet rich in Cosmite, containing ten times the amount found in the core.

Cosmite, or Cx-245 as it was known in scientific circles, was a highly radioactive element. It was rare, found only in trace amounts in meteorites and other space debris. But now, a massive deposit had been discovered deep within a planet's core.

The unique atomic structure of Cx-245, with its extra-dimensional electron shell, the x-shell, was what made it so valuable. This shell was directly connected to dark matter, an untapped reservoir of energy that made up a significant portion of the universe's mass. The x-shell electron acted as a bridge between regular matter and dark matter, allowing Cosmite to access this vast energy source.

When stimulated, the x-shell electron initiated the Cosmite Fusion process, drawing energy from dark matter and converting it into a usable form. This process generated energy on an unprecedented scale, which was harnessed by the Reptilians' ultimate weapon, the Planet Blaster, to create a destructive energy beam capable of annihilating entire planets.

As Zekkor was still processing this significant discovery, another voice broke through the chatter. We have located the core! His heart leapt. In a matter of minutes, their fortunes had changed. They now had access to a vast deposit of Cosmite and the Core. He immediately relayed the news to the Supreme Leader, Zalaxar.

Zalaxar, a sinister figure with vestigial wings, presided over the hastily arranged meeting. Despite the degradation of their wings over generations, the flying types, like Zalaxar, still held themselves superior to other reptilians.

Zalaxar addressed the meeting with fervor. The discovery of a vast quantity of Cosmite and the recovery of the core are blessings from the serpent god. We will once again become the most fearsome species in the galaxy! he declared, his voice sharp and commanding.

I hereby establish a committee to retrieve the core and harvest the Cosmite, the Supreme Leader announced. The room filled with approving clicks.

Zekkor, however, hesitated. My Lord, the Cx-245 is buried deep within a planet inhabited by a primitive species called humans. The Intergalactic Agreement of the Ancients forbids interference, he said, his voice wavering.

A tense silence followed. Zalaxar broke it with a sharp retort, Destroying an inferior species is part of galactic evolution, not interference! If anyone questions my decision, you are welcome to leave.

The room fell silent again until Zalaxar concluded, I expect the final plan for retrieving the core and harvesting the Cosmite to be ready within three days.

As the meeting adjourned, the reptilians filled the room with their excited chatter, their unique language a cacophony of clicks and hisses that only they could understand.

FROM A SECLUDED SECTOR of the universe, a sleek spacecraft emerged, slipping through a secret wormhole. The vessel was a Nordic reconnaissance ship, a marvel of engineering, designed for swift and stealthy missions. Its streamlined form, a harmonious blend of smooth curves and sharp angles, was cloaked in a silver-blue metal that shimmered in the cosmic light. Equipped with powerful engines, it moved with a grace and speed that belied its size, capable of intricate maneuvers in the tightest of spaces. Its weaponry, while light, was deadly efficient, boasting laser guns and photon torpedoes that prioritized speed and precision over brute force. Inside, its six occupants worked in disciplined harmony, their every move guided by the ship's advanced Artificial Intelligence as they confirmed coordinates, speed, and the vital statistics of their craft.

Back on Auriga, the home planet of the Nordics, the Command Center buzzed with activity. The Nordics, an enigmatic race with a deep, unspoken connection to less developed civilizations, were driven by a desire to protect these vulnerable societies from those who would do them harm. When their sensors detected suspicious activity from Reptilian vessels, they immediately dispatched their elite scouts to investigate. The commanders' concern was palpable. The Greys had stolen the core of the Reptilians' Planet Blaster weapon, but the vessel carrying it had been damaged and crashed near the Reptilian world. It was a ticking time bomb, waiting to be found, and the Nordics were determined to reach it first.

Odina, a tall blonde woman assigned as the navigator for the mission, pointed to her handheld QE Communication device in amusement. The device was state-of-the-art and represented a major advancement in faster-than-light communication technology, giving the Nordics a crucial advantage in their quest for discovery. It had a metallic exterior and was operated by a single power button with a small, high-resolution touchscreen. At the heart of the device were entangled molecules, precisely engineered and arranged for maximum efficiency in information transmission. These entangled molecules were constantly maintained in a state of perfect correlation, even over great distances. The ability to transmit messages between ships and bases equipped with similar devices, regardless of the distance involved, allowed the Nordics to maintain seamless communication even as they explored the far reaches of the universe.

We have company! Odina said, pointing in the direction of a galactic cloud. The command center warned us about three heavily armed Reptilian spacecraft entering the wormhole complex in Beta 3.

Beta 3 was a sprawling wormhole complex, a marvel of interstellar engineering, operated and managed by the Galactic Alliance. Spanning several thousand miles, the complex was a sight to behold. From a distance, it resembled a shimmering web of light, a nexus of energy where sixteen wormholes converged. This was a rarity in the universe, a cosmic anomaly that allowed spaceships to traverse hundreds of lightyears in mere minutes.

The complex was a hive of activity, with thousands of beings from across the galaxy working in unison to ensure its smooth operation. Ships of all sizes and designs came and went, their destinations meticulously logged and monitored. The constant hum of engines, the chatter of different languages, and the glow of the wormholes created a spectacle of organized chaos.

Recognizing the immense value of this natural resource, the Galactic Alliance had taken control of it, ensuring its accessibility to all. Even in times of war, no one was barred from using the complex, a testament to the Alliance's commitment to freedom of movement. However, to maintain peace and order, a no-conflict zone was established around the complex, a sanctuary amidst the vast expanse of space.

Gunnar, a strong and resourceful Nordic man and veteran warrior appointed as mission commander to uncover the Reptilians' intentions, looked at Odina and whispered, Let them bring it on. It's time to break a few lizard legs again!

Odina smiled as she asked the ship's AI to direct the spacecraft toward the expected location of the Reptilian ships.

The AI changed the ship's direction towards the expected exit of the wormhole, and the Reptilian spaceships appeared on the screens. They were combat-ready and looked intimidating.

Get ready for some action! cried Torrin, the shortest of the three Nordic men, as he spotted the approaching Reptilian vessels. The ships were massive, with a angular design that spoke of ruthless efficiency. They were covered in a metallic sheen that seemed to ripple with an otherworldly energy, and their weapons systems bristled with enough firepower to take out an army.

Their weapons are not armed. It doesn't seem like they're looking for a fight, Astrid replied, leaving Torrin with a deeply furrowed brow, puzzled by the turn of events.

Let's tail them from a safe distance and figure out their plan, Gunnar suggested with excitement. Odina quickly sprang into action, commanding the AI to stealthily follow the vessels.

The next two days were filled with boredom. Cycles of eating, sleeping, and watching the Reptilians repeated themselves. It was almost a relief when the AI's digitized voice announced that the Reptilians were approaching an abandoned planet called Zelion 4 and had sent a landing craft to its surface.

Zelion 4, once a thriving colony of the Grey aliens, now stood as a desolate monument to a lost civilization. The Greys had tamed its harsh conditions, erecting towering structures that pierced the sky, carving vast mines into its depths, and fostering a bustling population that teemed with life and industry.

But the planet had turned against them. Its geological activity, once a mere inconvenience, had spiraled out of control. Volcanoes erupted with terrifying regularity, spewing rivers of molten rock that consumed everything in their path. Earthquakes shook the ground, toppling their proud structures and swallowing their mines into the depths.

With heavy hearts, the Greys had been forced to abandon Zelion 4. They left behind a planet scarred and broken, its surface a barren wasteland of ash and soot. Volcanic peaks, like the jagged teeth of some monstrous beast, jutted out from the desolate landscape, a stark reminder of the planet's violent transformation.

The sky, once a vibrant canvas of alien hues, was now a perpetual shroud of gray, the sun's rays choked by the thick clouds of ash. The air was thick with sulfur and other noxious gases, a harsh environment that, while breathable in the short term, could cause serious health complications if one were to be exposed for prolonged periods. Zelion 4 was a ghost of its former self, a haunting testament to the impermanence of even the most thriving civilizations.

Gunnar took command with Nordic efficiency. Bjorn and Freya, gear up! You two are our top-notch scouts, and we need to know what the Reptilians are up to on this planet. Astrid, get ready to intercept their transmissions and decode them using all the power the onboard quantum computer's AI can provide without putting us at risk, Gunnar gave the orders, trusting in his hand-picked, elite crew, the cream of the crop of the Nordic race.

Nordic scouts are rated as the best-trained special purpose soldiers in the Nordic Federation. Only brilliant minds are recruited, and their training ranges from hand-to-hand combat to the operation of advanced weaponry. They are mentally and physically strong and known to be the bravest soldiers among all member planets of the Federation.

The Nordic Federation, a powerful alliance of planets and civilizations, is renowned for its strong sense of unity and shared values. At the heart of the Federation lies the magnificent planet Auriga, where the beloved Princess Alictra resides. As the absolute monarch of the Nordic Federation, Princess Alictra embodies the qualities of wisdom, strength, and compassion that define her people. Under her rule, the planets within the Federation have flourished, enjoying a golden age of peace and prosperity.

Planets such as Astraris, known for its breathtaking crystalline forests, and Volaria, with its majestic floating cities, form an integral part of the Nordic Federation. Each of these worlds contributes to the collective strength and wisdom of the Federation, governed by the steadfast leadership of Princess Alictra. Drawing inspiration from her, the citizens of the Nordic Federation work together in harmony to create a utopia that spans across the cosmos. Alictra's authority allows her to make critical decisions for the entire Federation, ensuring its continued stability and progress in an ever-changing universe.

As the Nordic scouts Bjorn and Freya made their descent onto the abandoned planet, they had no idea what they were getting into. This was not just a routine reconnaissance mission to collect data and map out new territories for the Nordic race; it was far more dangerous.

As Bjorn and Freya disembarked from their pod onto the desolate planet's surface, they were immediately confronted by a group of six towering Reptilians. Their scales shimmered ominously under the dim light, and their sharp claws glinted with a deadly promise. The hissing